Epilepsy A sharp increase in spending

Epilepsy: Significant Increase in Hospital Treatment Expenses: IKK Southwest Announces Epilepsy Day

05/10/2011

On the occasion of the German Epilepsy Day on October 5, 2011, the IKK Südwest draws attention to the clinical picture of epilepsy. Epilepsy, which refers to dysfunctions of the brain, occurs when a patient has had at least two epileptic seizures spontaneously that have not been triggered by a previous identifiable cause.

In a recent study, IKK Southwest found that in 2010, the number of epilepsy outpatient cases decreased slightly (2008: 8474 cases, 2010: 8431 cases). There was a slight increase in hospital inpatient care (2008: 778 cases, 2010: 863 cases).

In the same period, in-patient treatment costs rose sharply from € 1.95 million in 2008 to € 2.93 million in 2010. An inpatient epilepsy patient caused an average cost of around € 3,400 in 2010. In 2008 it was still around 2500 euros.

As a result, per capita expenditure climbed from € 4.76 in 2008 to € 6.40 in 2010 (+34 per cent). Michael Rock, Head of Unit Services, explains the increased expenditure mainly with the increase in so-called land base rates. These are decisive for the costing of hospital treatment: „The country base case values ​​are highest in the Saarland and in Rhineland-Palatinate in comparison to other federal states“, he explains. Those affected can receive support from the contact and information centers for self-help groups (KISS), in Hesse at Tel. 069/55 93 58, in Rhineland-Palatinate at Tel. 06 51/14 11 80 and in Saarland at Tel. 06 81/9 60 21 30. IKK Südwest, as a health insurer, financially supports self-help institutions in the context of self-help promotion. (Pm)